The Ethics of Commercial Organ Donation

Introduction

In this report, we discuss that a solution proposed to the organ donor shortage is the commercialization of human body parts, and that this is a solution well worth investigation. The writer notes that in this increasingly commercial world it should come as no surprise that individuals are willing to pay for organ transplants. In fact, individuals do pay for organ transplants on a regular basis, but they do so in a manner that is currently against the law and frequently very dangerous.

The Ethics of Commercial Organ Donation

We discuss that through putting law and regulation in place individuals could receive organ transplants without leaving their own country, and donors from within the same country could receive monetary compensation for their organ donation, as well as proper medical after care. The writer concludes that if commercialized organ donation is what it will take to save lives and to prevent the exploitation of the less fortunate who are coerced into illegal and unsafe organ donation, then it should be considered a very viable solution.

"Due to the organ crisis, there is a rampant black market for organs, especially kidneys, that sees individuals in deprived, often third-world countries selling their organs to rich Westerners. There are a number of serious and medically dangerous issues associated with this growing trend, not least of which is the unsatisfactory care provided to the donors. Individuals who donate their organs usually do so for very small amounts of money and receive substandard health care following their donation. The doctors who perform these illicit operations are the ones who benefit financially, while the individual who purchased the organ usually survives much longer, but still may not receive the best after-care due to the illegal nature of the operation. The donors often experience a decrease in livelihood and standard of living as they develop medical conditions that prevent them from participating in the manual labour force that is usually the only available employment. Regardless of restrictions and laws against these black market transactions, they continue, and will continue, and almost understandably. Being faced with a life threatening condition and having the means to remedy the situation through the wielding of power and money would be an opportunity not easily turned down by many individuals."

In developed countries, the use of living unrelated donors is restricted to purely altruistic donors who have a close and emotional relationship with the recipients. By law, commercial transplantation is illegal. Increasing shortness of donors, the excellent results of kidney transplants from spousal and living unrelated donors as well as the very low risk for the donor has been used as an argument for paid organ donation. Arguments in favour are the relief of donor-organ shortage, short waiting times for renal transplantation, economic benefits for the donor as well as the economic benefits for society by reducing the costs of dialysis by more transplants. Major arguments against are exploitation of the donor, coercion, and a growing black market. Despite the fact that ...